kitchen cabinet designs | Kitchen Cabinet Value

Kitchen Cabinet Styles

Many homeowners are surprised to discover so many kitchen cabinet styles when they visit a home improvement store or a cabinet shop. The great variety and the number of available cabinet options can be overwhelming. This variety, however, also ensures that every homeowner can find kitchen cabinet styles to meet his or her personal taste.

We define kitchen cabinet styles by several components. The first is the wood used in construction. Homeowners choose the wood for their cabinets based on primarily color and grain. Some styles are also painted. The options include:

Oak
Maple
Cherry
Walnut
White
Espresso (black)

Most wood can be finished either natural or glazed. White cabinets can also be painted and glazed in an antique finish. The grain of the wood differs from one to the next. Oak, for example, has a very prominent grain. Cherry and walnut kitchen cabinet styles are recognized by both grain and color of the wood. The wood used for most cabinets built in the U.S. is maple.

The most visible part of a cabinet is the door. However, the side of the “box” is visible on the end of a group of cabinets. Doors are made either with raised panels or with recessed panels. Some contemporary style cabinets are made of flat door surfaces. The difference between these kitchen cabinet styles is whether the center of the door is raised above the level of the frame or is recessed below the frame.

The next consideration in choosing kitchen cabinet styles is to choose the wood, the finish and the door type that is the best fit for the architecture and décor of the home. For example, a Southern colonial with traditional décor is the perfect match for the antique glazed white finish with raised panel doors. A mountain cabin would be ideal for oak or walnut with recessed panel doors.

Most new homes built today are a “traditional” style of architecture, modeled on the two-story Georgian home or the ranch style one-level home popularized in the early subdivisions of the 1950s. These homes are well suited for kitchen cabinet styles in oak, maple, walnut and cherry cabinetry. Either of the door styles is appropriate.

White and black kitchen cabinet styles are a good choice in most homes. The styling of the doors and the choices in handles and knobs can make them blend well with almost any style home and any décor. In fact, many homeowners install all kitchen cabinet styles without handles and knobs.

There are two ways of thinking about handles and knobs (pulls). On the one hand, the handles and knobs protect the wood of the cabinets. Wet or dirty hands do not stain or damage the wood. On the other hand, some believe the knobs and handles detract from the beauty of the wood and serve no important function. Handles and knobs are available in a range of materials and styles to fit any taste.

Whatever your opinion about handles and pulls, kitchen cabinetry has become a work of art. Kitchen cabinet styles are available to suit any personal taste, any architectural style of the house and any interior décor. White and black contrast beautifully with stainless steel or colored kitchen appliances.
There is something very warm and beautiful about natural wood in any home. The choices available in the various wood colors and grains, makes it possible for everyone to find what they like among the many kitchen cabinet styles.

Kitchen cabinet design offers abundant options for every remodeler to find the perfect cabinets for their new kitchen. Understanding the basic elements of kitchen cabinet design will help you narrow the array of options and simplify the decision. Some of these basics of kitchen cabinet design relate to the quality of construction and others are a matter of kitchen style and personal taste.

Let’s consider each in turn. Two of the basics of kitchen cabinet design are quality issues. The other two are about style and taste.

1. Material. What material will be used to build your cabinets? Material is one of the most important decisions you will make because the design and style of your cabinets are the major factor determining style and design of the entire kitchen. You have several choices:

Metal (stainless steel, aluminum). Metal can be both expensive and heavy to hang. Some metals – especially those used in the past – were subject to rust. Metal can be available in colors or it can be painted. These cabinets also show any dings or dents if they are accidentally hit with a pan, and they will show scratches. For these reasons it is not a popular choice in kitchen cabinet design.
Wood combinations. Some cabinet makers use less expensive wood, such as plywood or pine, to build the cabinet case and then use doors and exterior panels of better or more expensive wood. Some also use particle board or other composite materials. Any wood cabinets can be painted in the color of your choice. You can use a glossy finish or a matte finish for your perfect kitchen cabinet design.
Solid wood. These cabinets are built entirely of finished, high-quality wood, such as hickory, oak, maple or more expensive woods like cherry or walnut. Traditional kitchens and some country style kitchens might use a dark wood, such as cherry, mahogany, walnut or ebony. Contemporary kitchens tend to use lighter color woods such as birch or maple. You will want to consider the color, the grain of the wood and the finish applied to the wood. Better cabinets are finished with several coats of polyurethane to protect the wood. Solid wood is currently the most popular kitchen cabinet design.

2. Construction. Low quality cabinets are often put together with glue or with nails or staples. This is not a good idea (if you have the choice) because under the heavy use of kitchen cabinets and drawers, they will not last. High quality cabinets will be joined with dove tail construction. This is the most important aspect of kitchen cabinet design.

3. Door Style. There are many types and designs in cabinet doors. The door style is the primary determiner of kitchen cabinet design. For example, a contemporary kitchen would almost demand a flat panel door design. Raised panel design, on the other hand, is the preferred door style for a traditional style kitchen. Other kitchen cabinet designs include these door styles: reveal-overlay panel, frame and panel, beaded frame and panel, square raised panel, curved raised panel, bead board panel and cathedral panel.

4. Accessories are the final basic element of kitchen cabinet design. Accessories in kitchen cabinet design include knobs and handles, organization customizations, accessibility options and specialty modifications. Knobs and handles should match both the style of the kitchen (rustic, worn, sleek) and the other metals used in visible places in the kitchen. For example, brushed metals work very nicely with stainless steel appliances. There are many devices and gadgets that can be installed in drawers and cabinets to organize the contents. Many custom or customized units have these items built in. Accessibility items include things like sliding trays or spinning units (lazy Susan, for example) to make things in the cabinets easier to reach. Specialty modifications are changes made to any cabinets to make them function over refrigerated drawers or bar refrigerators, etc.

By understanding these basics of kitchen cabinet design, you will be better informed, better informed to ask questions, and better able to limit the number of cabinet styles you need to consider in order to choose the cabinets you will use in your kitchen remodel.